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Good Struggles

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I have started back running. I had to stop because of an issue with my hip; I guess its another sign that I am becoming your ‘not so young’ pastor. I have found running to be a great release and time for me to worship personally. It really is a refreshing time for me. Although, when I run it is not easy. As a matter of fact, running is a struggle. I tend to lose my breath quickly, my legs begin to hurt and exhaustion can come on me quickly. But, running is good for my health and I need to embrace the struggle for the benefit of the greater good. While I may not realize it in the midst of the run, I always feel better as a result of the struggle. Running is a good struggle.

As a church we are having some good struggles that are causing us to make some adjustments, but all of these are good struggles. I wanted to make you aware of them so you can celebrate the good struggles and so that will be aware of an opportunity to help us as we struggle together. Here are some of our good struggles:

• A Lot of Kids – Our Wednesday night Children’s ministry is off to a great start! But, we are having a lot of children, which is a good struggle. Thanks to the many volunteers and Corbin and Bristina’s leadership, we are handling Wednesday night ministry better than we have since we made the transition of our services. Too many kids is a Good Struggle!


• A Lot of Preschoolers – Yep, we have too many preschoolers, and it is a good struggle. We will divide our 4-5-year-old class this week into two classes. Thanks to Jenna Jones and Peggy Quinn for working to make this possible! Too many preschoolers is a Good Struggle!


• A Lot of Students - We are having so many youth girls in Dr. Loren’s Sunday School Class, that we are also multiplying her class. Thanks to Anna Laurie Hamrick for agreeing to help us as we divide these students! Too many youth girls is a Good Struggle!


• A Lot of Worshipers – If you believe the research, a sanctuary should be considered full when it reaches 80% capacity. Our sanctuary capacity (based on 25 inches per person) is at capacity when we have 299 in worship. According to these numbers, we exceeded capacity 3 of the 4 Sundays in August! Too many worshipers is a Good Struggle!

It is always our prayer that we do our best to facilitate the growth of the men and women that God has brought to us. So, I am asking for your continued commitment to FBC as we continue to walk through Good Struggles together. I am planning to continue to have Good Struggles and the staff are working hard daily to understand and facilitate solutions to these Good Struggles. Please be patient with us.

Be on the lookout for more Good Struggles and timely solutions as we move forward to Glorify God by Connecting Followers and Making Disciples who Impact Culture with the Gospel!

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Summer Refresh

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As we approached this church year, we knew that it would be an interesting year as we determined as a church to make some significant changes in our meeting times. We knew that it would cause some unforeseen glitches that we would have to work through as well as some amazing times of worship, which we have indeed experienced. Refresh worship has allowed us some amazing worship experiences. My favorite times have been the testimonies of many of our church members; this time of sharing was truly the most significant times of our gatherings. Thank you for sharing your stories!

There are some other significant people that I think were a critical part of the success of our Wednesday night services. I want to acknowledge them by name: Ashley Burroughs, Suzie Lockey, Melissa Ferguson, Angie Griffing, Deanna Rush, Lori Willis, Alisa Johnston and Eric and Bristina Mcelhenney. These volunteers have cared for our children and many children in our community while we have experienced Refresh Worship, and to them I am so grateful! Thank you!

Beginning this Wednesday night, we will have a shift in our Wednesday night activities that will affect our summer meetings. It will mostly effect those in our congregation who have children in grades 1-5. This change will allow us the opportunity to do some creative additions to our Refresh Worship and it will allow our families to have another time of worship together. I am excited about this change for the summer.

We will continue to offer Nursery and Bible Study for ages Zero-Kindergarten. However, current 1st through 5th graders will join their parents in the sanctuary for Refresh Worship. We are currently developing ways to include them in the worship and create a worship setting that is family friendly. I believe that families will enjoy this time together. We will go ahead and move our current 6th graders into our Student Ministry on Wednesday nights starting next week. This will give them some time to adjust before many of them attend Fuge with our Student Ministry.

I still believe the changes we have made are better for our congregation, because we are experiencing a sweet moment of mid-week worship that is encouraging our faith and pressing us through the remainder of the week. Sunday nights are the ideal time to meet together for prayer and discipleship. I hope you have experienced the same.

I want to challenge you as we continue to move into the summer months. We need to be consistent with our attendance on Wednesday night in addition to Sunday morning and Sunday nights. Please be faithful to the Lord and His Church.

Your Pastor,
Jon

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Spiritual Disciplines Overview

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This week we will begin a new Sermon Series titled: Spiritual Disciplines. We will spend the next six weeks looking on the spiritual disciplines of our faith. Each of these disciples are vital to our personal spiritual development and our corporate health as a congregation. We will address the following disciplines:

Spiritual Disciplines of a Growing Follower:

Bible Reading/Journaling – January 7 – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Prayer – January 14 – Matthew 6:9-13
Fasting – January 21 – Matthew 6:16-18
Community – January 28 – Hebrews 10:19-25
Worship – February 4 – John 4:1-30
Service – February 11 – 1 Peter 4:1-11

I am excited about the next six weeks, I hope you will begin to ask the Lord to speak to you concerning how you can make changes in your life in the area of discipline. Here is a little more info about our series.

The Big Idea:

Our Faith is a Faith of effort. We must be diligent in the spiritual disciplines offered in the Word of God if we are to grow as followers, the end of which is the Glory and pleasure of God.


Point of Decision:

We must be drawn to a point of determining to participate in the disciplines of our Faith to experience Spiritual Growth.


Central Verse:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. – Philippians 2:12-13

 

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